The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1887-01-22
State school Fund contains,

Total .................s ...'..Ssol, 40
This gratifying showing of nearly
81, 100000 in our educational fund,
with sccruing amounts from the sale
of lands continually coming into our
treasury, places Nevada among the
foremost States in its ability to grant
educational facilities. To this | may
add that sol 900 acres of State sections
of land, representing $50l 900, awaits
approval in the Land Department at
Washington. Many of these selections,
on which twenty i've cents per acre
has been paid the State, are over six
years old, and the applicants ready to
make further payments. By these de-
lays the School Fund is deprived of
large amount of interest, The reason
assigned by the Land Department for
these delays is that no non-mineral af-
tidavits accompanied the applications.
These are being prepared as rapidly as
possible by our Land Register, and
when forwarded will no doubt tend to
hasten the listing of large quantity
of land to the State.
IRRIGATION AND STORING OF WATER.
There is hardly any question of
greater interest to the future of this
State than the question of irrigation.
When we note the progressive strides
made by States aud districts having a
soil and climate less favorable than
ours, through judicious system ot ir-
rigation, even the most skeptical may
hope for fair future for Nevada.
Although comparatively new subject
to Americans, nevertheless we find that
irrigation has been the subject of leg
islailon for centuries, particularly IN
countries, in both hemispheres, popu-
lated 10y the Latin race.
Without going back To times of re-
mote antiquity to seek an ancient his
tory of irrigation, We can content our
selves with knowing that practical
systems of irrigation have existed con-
tinuously in Europe since the estab-
Iishment of the Roman Empire.
In Justinien's Codes, Lib. 9, Title |
Section |, we fnd declared: by the
law of nature flowing water is the
property Of all men.
For centuries in France, Italy and
Spain, and indeed in Mexico, irriga.
ton has existed under laws, regula.
tions and customs. Perhaps the
province of Mercia, in Spain, affords
the best example of the wonders that
can be wrought on the face of a
country by judicious system of irri-
CATION. Utah. Colorado and the south
ern part Of California are also great
exainplars OF its bcneficent utility.
Water alone possesses the property
ef "making the desert blossom like
the rose The water that now runs
to waste in the Spring time in this
State might he stored in reservoirs IN
the high valleys in the mountains To
be used in the Summer when required.
There are millions of acres of land
in Nevada, which, if irrigated, could
be made highly productive and cap
able of aflording sustenance to large
ly increased population.
Some of the products of Nevada are
the best in the world, notably the beef,
potatoes, wheat, barley and rye. Agri-
culture is the foundation of all inter
ssts therefore, any policy which can
favorably affect this interest must nec-
essarily conduce to the public welfare.
HYDRoGRAPHIc SURVEY.
In connection with the subject of
irrigation, | would suggest that the
Legislature memorable Congress to
have photographic survey made of
this State. Such survey would great
ly aid in determining the most valu-
able points for the construction of res
ervoirs in which water could be stored
to be used in the Summer months for
irrigation.
SILVER MINING.
I am glad to state that the leading
n iustry of the State was greatly re-
vived within the past year. The de.
pressed state of public feeling caused
by the abandonment of deep mining
on the Comstock lode nas been entirely
dissipated by the recent discovery OF